Helping George
by UnitedPen
Summary: George is having the worst time getting over losing his other half. Someone comes into George's life unexpectedly to help but will George accept it and heal? Read and Review. Maybe Fred was an angel, that is why it is so hard to let go.
1. Prologue A tragedy

Helping George

**Author's Note: MAJOR DEATHLY HALLOWS SPOILERS** **I admit, I have not being keeping up to date on my other stories but my idea just came to me. There are a lot of stories about how George copes with Fred, but this one has a different twist. Please give the story a chance and read and review.**

Helping George-Prologue, A Tragedy

"There's been an accident." Professor McGonagall cried." Shortly into the duel of Hogwarts, Fred Weasley, Remus Lupin, and Nymphadora Tonks died in battle. I'm so sorry."

The words played over and over in George's head as he sat in the Great Hall, at a house table, with his family around him. He could not cry for some reason. Not that he didn't want to, the tears just wouldn't come. No matter how much George begged himself to have feeling, he just felt empty in his soul, completely emotionless. Blankly, he heard Percy speak.

"To think I was jealous. Always asking myself why people liked him better than me."

George felt the urge to speak up. "I should have been the one two die in that duel. "

"Don't do that George." Charlie commented between his tears.

George ignored the comment and went on. "He wanted to make it in the business so bad. He lit up the night sky."

Tears poured down Ginny's face. "Is it true? Really true?"

"It can't be." Percy replied.

"It is." George managed to spit out. He didn't want to sound so heartless to his siblings, but that was reality. And they were all going to have to face it in the weeks to come, for the funeral, the memorial service, for just plain living without Fred. It was going to be the hardest time George had ever experienced. He didn't know how he was going to make it through this difficult crossroads, how he would survive.

"How are we going to make it through this?" Ginny spoke up again.

"We will."

For the memory of Fred

Symphonic by Emm Gryner

_You're running through the underground, hiding your real first name  
I always said you were the real star, you move like a hurricane  
Through the pain_

_You said don't forget about me, don't forget about me  
Like I'd ever forget about you  
How could I just change my mind?_

_When all the sun shines down on you  
Everyone's a lie but you're so true  
You're symphonic, you're the light of the moon  
How could I forget you?_

_There's a whisper in the limo, thousands of miles away  
But there are no lies in your blue eyes, only a summer day  
Oh a sweet summer day_

_When all the sun shines down on you  
Everyone's a lie but you're so true  
You're symphonic, you're the light of the moon  
How could I forget you?_

_You're a star, a dream that never ends, fireworks around the bend  
An angel on the river Thames  
You must know you're all the lights on new years eve  
Quiet on the raging sea  
How could I forget you?  
How could I forget you?_

_You said don't forget about me, don't forget about me  
Like I'd ever forget about you  
How could I just change my mind?_

_When all the sun shines down on you  
Everyone's a lie but you're so true  
You're symphonic, you're the light of the moon  
How could I forget you?_

_When all the sun shines down on you  
Everyone's a lie but you're so true  
You're symphonic, you're the light of the moon  
How could I forget you?_

_You said don't forget about me, don't forget about me_


	2. The Long, Bad Summer

Helping George Chapter Two

Mr. Weasley had meant it when he said those words. But, George still didn't believe him. He couldn't get over it, Fred's death. At this point for George, time would not heal all wounds. All George could do was lie in Fred's bed and go over the memories they had together.

**Flashback**

"_You gonna come to the common room to play Exploding Snap" George asked Fred as they sat in the Gryffindor boys dorm looking over new ideas for pranks. _

"_C'mon George, I wanna race on the broomsticks." Fred grinned._

_George grinned an identical grin back at his brother."_

**End of Flashback**

He hadn't stopped going down memory lane since the funeral. That had been a mere disaster. Mrs. Weasley couldn't stop sobbing as they lay Fred down to rest in the nearby cemetery. The rest of the family all supported each other, crying all except Percy who looked like he had no soul, hands shoved in robe pockets. George had been glad it was raining. No one could see his tears as he stroked Fred's hand for the last time ever. The weeks after hadn't been any easier. In an effort to please his mother, he closed down his and Fred's shop, packed up the twins over-shop apartment and moved back home. George had arranged all of Fred's things in the twins Burrow bedroom the way they used to be to remind himself of old times.

A knock on the bedroom door startled George out of his thoughts.

"Anyone up for supper?" Ginny appeared at the door.

"I'm not too hungry today, Ginny." George tried to shake his sister off.

She groaned loudly. 'C'mon George. It's been a whole month. Summer's here and all you come out of your room for the occasional meal. The world doesn't stop turning just because you do.

He didn't even get angry, just looked up at Ginny with sad eyes.

"I'm just not ready."

"When will you be?"

He tried a half smile. "I don't know. But when I am you'll be the first to know."

Ginny stormed off less haughtily then before to join the rest of the family for dinner.

"He won't come down." She announced.

The rest of the Weasley's, Fleur, and Harry (who was staying over the summer) stared back at Ginny solemnly.

"I guess we better eat." Mr. Weasley said quietly while Mrs. Weasley sniveled. The family heaved a collective sigh while they stared at Fred's empty chair and ate their dinner as they did now, in complete silence.

After supper, cleaning up the table, Harry turned to Ron.

"Are you ok?" The dark haired boy asked.

"Ya, why?" The red haired boy answered back.

"It's just I haven't seen you cry since the funeral. Fred was your brother.

Ron glared. " And it sucks beyond words, but I'm over it. " he slammed out of the kitchen leaving Harry to wonder if anyone could help his best friend ever.

A little while later, upstairs, George heard another knock on his door.

"Can't everyone just leave me alone?" he screamed out.

Percy was waiting in the door frame.

"I'm sorry, I'll go." He turned his heel to leave.

George rubbed his hand over his face. "No, stay."

Percy entered, looking around. It was like taking a step back in time, to when the brothers had just been kids, and everything had been carefree. He didn't want to open painful memories so he handed an album quickly. "Pictures of Fred in Egypt."

George leafed through the pictures. "Could Fred be any happier? In every pic, he's smiling." George handed the album back to Percy.

"No it's yours to keep. I'd figure I'd put it in the rightful room. How bout here?"

Percy proceeded to place it on Fred's old bedside table, moving keepsakes around as George cried out.

"Don't touch those. Put everything back, the way it was. That was Fred's private place."

Percy left shortly after that to find his dad sitting in the kitchen eating a late snack.

"Hey Dad."

"Hey Percy."

The two sat in silence for awhile. Then Percy spoke abruptly, to get the thought off his chest.

"I keep replaying the scene over in my mind. Hogwarts crashing around Fred and curses flying all around him. Him laughing his last laugh then falling weightlessly and motionless to the ground."

Mr. Weasley looked up from his Fire whisky and commented wisely.

"Sometimes in time's of grieving, people hold on to the last memory."

"While it sure beats George's method."

The father looked concerned at Percy's words.

"What is that method, exactly?"

"He just sits around like a log surrounded by Fred's possessions exactly as it was when Fred was alive, as if it will bring him back.

After that, Percy went up to his room, where he was staying, like the rest of the family, till everyone could move on from this long, bad summer.

"FRED DON'T GO!!!"

_It was too late. Fred's hand slipped out of George's as Fred dissolved into darkness._

"NOOOOOOO!"

George awoke the next morning screaming from recurring nightmare. He could not seem to get Fred out of his head.

Trying to shake the vivid dream, he sat up in bed just as an unfamiliar teenage boy entered the twins room with a suitcase.

George jumped. "Who are you? Why are you in my room?"

"I'm Derek." He answered shyly with a thick Canadian accent.

"Yeah, so?" George just wanted him to leave.

The boy looked confused. "I thought…….I was your new roomie?"


	3. Don't Want to Adjust

Helping George Chapter 3

**A.N. Hope you liked the first two chapters. This will get more interesting. Please review if you have the time. ******

"My new what?!!!" asked a bewildered George.

"New roommate." The strange boy went on. "I'm going to that art school near here as a transfer student. Your family is taking me in and I came here. I was told to take your room and share it with you. I thought you knew."

"Excuse me." George said, heading off to find his parents.

Derek backed away, looking hurt as George bounded his parent's room, minutes later, angrily.

"What the hell?"

Mr. Weasley was sitting on the bed with Mrs. Weasley, waiting for him. Mr. Weasley spoke as George entered, fuming.

"George, this is completely my fault. Derek wasn't supposed to arrive until tonight and we were to discuss the matter today."

George was so angry, for a minute he could hardly form words. "Who is he? Why does he have to stay with us to go to school?"

Mrs. Weasley took the ropes in explaining the situation. "His last name's Stewart. He's from a pureblood family in Vancouver, Canada. He's fifteen and in Canada they finish their studies at fourteen, from starting at an earlier age. Derek is very talented and got a scholarship to go to the Magical Institute of Arts. You need to live with a family as the school is only open during the day."

George didn't understand one point. "Why come at the beginning of summer?"

"Derek's four brothers, parents, and family except him came over here to fight the war about a year ago. They died from Death Eaters, it was in the paper. We just thought since he's been living on the streets mainly, he needed us to support him and keep him stable.

"That doesn't mean he has to be my room-mate." George implied.

Mrs. Weasley turned to Mr. Weasley, indicating it was his turn to explain.

"Actually, your mother and I discussed it and we think it'd be best, it someone shared a room with you."

George's face was one of shock. "What would give you that idea?"

Eyes widening in realization, he raced downstairs to find Percy sitting alone in the kitchen, staring off into space.

"Percy!" George screamed. "You told Dad, didn't you? About how've I've got Fred's stuff all over my room."

Percy winced at the loud voice. "It just slipped out."

"Slipped out!" the yelling continued. "You were talking to a member of family. You should have known better."

"Ya." Percy was beet red. "And I was having a private conversation. Maybe Dad is right, you might need a new occupant in your room."

George folded his arms. "What am I to do with this Derek?"

"Try talking to him. He might get your mind off Fred."

"Did you ever stop to consider that maybe I don't want to Perce?"

George raced upstairs to Fred and his bedroom (not Derek's.), a source of many jokes, yet George doubted he would ever laugh again.

He found Derek sitting on the floor doing nothing. George didn't know why, but he was reminded of Fred right as he looked at Derek. That wasn't supposed to happen. To shake off this theory, he addressed Derek. "Oi."

Derek looked up at him, friendly, wide-eyed with curiosity. George looked away well directing the tour of the room.

"O.k. here's the deal. No putting anything on the walls, or any tables, especially the one beside your bed, that was Fred's private area.

Derek was drawn back. "Where am I supposed to put my stuff?"

George opened a bottom unused dresser drawer. "There."

He was eternally grateful when Derek left without unpacking a thing.


End file.
